HEAT: Extreme Weather Preparation

[michaelgroves]

In South Africa, where I grew up, canvas water-bags were standard equipment for long trips - they do make for nice cold water! They also always seem to have a characteristic taste, probably the dust accumulating on the damp outside? Not unpleasant, though.

One thing, though, don't use them if you need to conserve water. They lose a LOT of water to evaporation. As you can imagine, given that they are designed to facilitate continuous evaporation.

 

[perterra]

Jeez -
I carry enough to be able to walk out of wherever it is I'm going.
QUOTE]

Jonathon, that is the key to survival. Food is of little importance, you can go weeks without it, water on the other hand is vital. One day of 105º temps with no shade and water and your toast. I keep lots of water close by, and a few packs of salted peanuts, smoked almonds and I'm good to go.

 

[perterra]

These guys make them.

http://www.can-spec.com/canspec/products/products.php?ID=14

There used to be a recreational mining/expidition supply in Vegas that carried them, but I havent seen the link since my old PC crashed.

They werent very expensive, anybody puts a group buy together count me in.

 

[HongerVenture]

On Topic:

Bring something you can soak in water and wrap around your neck. The evaporative cooling of this wrap can help a lot with body cooling.

In addition, bring sunscreen. As someone with lots of Melanoma in the family, I can't stress this enough. Not only is cancer a risk, but sun damaged skin doesn't function as well at radiant cooling.


A little Off Topic:

However, it's true that you can acclimate to a desert environment after several months. Ed might know the changes that occur in the blood. I believe the vascular system becomes more efficient at radiant cooling somehow.

You can build up heat endurance for sure. I spent several summers working as an apartment groundskeeper. Kansas (where I grew up) gets hot and humid with heat advisories regularly issued. The key to acclimating and/or building up heat endurance is repetition.

Heat endurance didn't mean I needed less water, it just meant that I could outwork/outplay my buddies on the weekend when we were out in the heat. At work at the apartments I would drink 3 (11+ liters) gallons of water in a 9-hour work day... usually only urinating once. I wore long pants every day out in the heat, it really does help.

I'd really be curious to hear Ed's feedback on the medical aspects of heat endurance.

 

[michaelgroves]

My survival strategy regarding water is simple: I carry enough to be able to walk out of wherever it is I'm going.

Your only chance of surviving a remote desert breakdown is if you have sufficient water to last until you have fixed it, or until you're found. No matter how much or little water you have, though, the second rule of desert travel is NEVER to try to walk out of a desert unless you know FOR CERTAIN that safety is within staggering distance, and EXACTLY in what direction. A rescue party (or a fortuitous passer-by) has a hugely greater chance of spotting a vehicle compared to seeing a person (especially as you would be hiding from the sun during the day).

Most desert tragedy reports contain phrases like "tried to walk back to the main track", "rescuers discovered the traveller's abandoned truck", and "died of heat exposure just a few miles from their vehicle".

There are exceptions either way, of course (people do die after sticking with their vehicles, and people do successfully stumble out to safety), but ALL the expert advice is in line with what I've outlined above.

I suppose it bears pointing out that staying with your vehicle doesn't mean staying in it - under it, or in some shelter nearby is often cooler.

M...

 

[michaelgroves]

However, it's true that you can acclimate to a desert environment after several months.

This is quite right, in fact you can start to notice your body's ability to cope better within days of being in the hot environment. One of the reasons is possibly that you start to sweat a little less. Ideally your body should sweat at the same rate as it evaporates off your skin - any water than runs off you is wasted. This happens more readily in a humid environment. If you are desperately short of water, you can ration your water intake to the point where you are not sweating rivers, as this is entirely wasted liquid. But, as others have said before on this thread, don't allow yourself to become dehydrated if you have water available.

M...